Thursday, April 23, 2009

A New Pup? Yay or Nay?

So for the past year or so I have wanted to get a dog but Brian kept shooting me down.. And he was right... We were living in a smaller place and we were all over the place with work. But now that we have moved and are pretty much settled in I am revisiting this idea! I'm a little torn because I know it is a HUGE responsibility and you have to be home a lot!!! I've had dogs in the past, 1 of which my mom and I got together before I wwent to college and she is still alive and lives with my Mom... She really became her dog.
Moving on.... Brian told me that if I really, really wanted one that it would be ok but that I need to relaize what we would be getting in to. I'm torn! I want one but am trying to weigh the pros and cons ya know!
What do you think? Should we get a pup? What are some of your experiences? Do you have any regrets? Or are you happy as can be with your furry friend? Let me know and be honest, Im looking for all the feedback I can get!! What kind of dog do you have? I'm taking all suggestions and recommendations even though we have a few breeds in mind!!!!



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10 comments:

Future Mom (Heather) said...

I don't now if I am a good person to give advice because I don't have a dog, but I used to think about getting one all the time & ultimately we decided against it for now

PRO: the spring/summer weather is a great time to get one so that when you're outside all the time walking it you won't be freezing your butt off

CON: it may possibly ruin all of your new furniture, you can't stay out of the house for too long (visiting friends, working late) because you have to go home and feed/walk it, other than the fact that dogs can cost thousands of dollars (unless you adopt it) there will be a lot of extra costs for food & supplies, training, pet sitting etc.

Can't wait to hear your decision

ajriggs said...

I have two dogs, a medium sized husky mix, and a large doberman (my newest.)(I prefer big dogs) I love them so much, and they make me so happy. They are your friend no matter what.

I don't think you could go wrong by getting a dog. They make you feel so happy and needed.

Although they are a lot of work. I would say almost as tough as a baby, but it's harder to find a dog sitter when you go out of town.

I can't wait to hear your decison, but I say YAY!

Shoebee said...

Dogs, especially puppies, are a huge responsibility. However, they are great. I love my sister's dog. I want one just like him. She has a Shiz tzu. He is great. He only has to be walked about 3 x day for potty. He is a smaller dog, and she has had him since he was a wee little pup (he's not that much bigger now). He sleeps with her and is her best friend. He is a lap doggie, and will jump up in your lap at anytime for some luvin. Shiz tzu's are know to nip at times, and Snickers does, but only when you are messing with him and he wants to be left alone. In the beginning, all I can say is crate training. Dogs do not like to go potty where they sleep and eat. It trains them quickly not to go in the house. Also, when alone (ie you at work, sleep), you will not return to find your new furniture torn to shreds.
Go for it, think about the great time you will have walking the doggie on the beach.

Sarah Elizabeth said...

I am a huge dog lover, so of course I'm going to say GO FOR IT! But I also believe that you should get the dog from a shelter. Not only because it saves a life, but from personal experience, the dogs are much more loving. I have had two dogs that we purchased from championship lines, and one the we found on the side of the road. The one that we found on the side of the road is like no dog I've ever had. He is the most loving thing! It is like he knows we saved his life and he is appreciative everyday.

But, most likely if you get one from the pound or shelter, they won't be a puppy. Personally, I think it is probably easier to get a dog that is a little older because some of the bad puppy habits may have already been broken. Good luck! Keep us posted, and if you do get one I would love to see pictures!

amanda said...

I'm not an animal lover...so
it is hard for me to give you
my opinion. I do LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
my pup, however. She is tiny,
doesn't shed, hardly EVER barks,
isn't snippy and well...it cute
as a button! Seriously. But I
still love at home, and my
parents take on the full role of
taking care of her.

Dogs are A LOT of work. When they've been away, and I've been
in charge and responsible for
taking care of her...it was totally
demanding. I didn't love it.

My sister-in-law always tells me, now that they have their first
child, that taking care of a dog
is so much harder than taking care of baby. She had kept saying she
wanted a dog once they had the baby...but she dog sat for two weeks while pregnant and it changed
her mind quickly. Haha.

GRANTED! I think if you do end up
getting one, you'll love it to
pieces and be awesome with it. No doubt in my mind. And you should name her Amanda after me. :o) Ha.

EP said...

If you feel like you're ready, go for it! When I got Lucy, I had been planning on getting a dog for two years at that point. I'd read books. I knew what I was getting myself into, and I was still surprised.

She's been a wonderful addition to my life over the past months, and I cannot imagine living here without her. They're wonderful companions, and while they take some time and training for them to be as good as you want them to be, they're worth it in the end.

I'm so excited for y'all! What breed are you thinking of possibly getting?

Amy said...

I am not really a hard-core animal lover, but I would love to have a small indoor pup for my girls. Only thing is we are gone all day and sometimes all weekend, so I go back and forth about what to do. I also can't stand to walk into someones house and 'smell' the dog, and not sure if I could stand the constant extra cleaning that I already feel like I do too much of.

Tough decision, good luck!

Marni's Organized Mess said...

I say give it a month and if you still really want it remembering all the things you will have to deal with negative, DO IT! I don't regret our cats or dog one bit. But I do think it's a long process of making that decision before you do it. ...at least for me.

Anonymous said...

I say DO IT! and may I recommend a chihuahua!

Christy said...

We have lots of critters, and they are a lot of work. If you plan on having kids any time soon, I wouldn't recommend it.